THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY BRUBAKER, SCARNATI, PILEGGI, ERICKSON, TARTAGLIONE, STACK, FONTANA, WOZNIAK, D. WHITE AND PIPPY, MARCH 15, 2012

REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MARCH 15, 2012  

A RESOLUTION

Urging the Congress of the United States to support continued

and increased importation of Canadian oil.

WHEREAS, Energy affects all aspects of American life and is

indispensable for quality of life, economic growth and the

sustainability of modern society; and

WHEREAS, Access to energy and the supply of energy will only

become more important in the future as energy demand continues

to increase; and

WHEREAS, The United States is still many years away from

ending its dependence on nonrenewable resources, despite the

recent focus on renewable energy; and

WHEREAS, In order to fuel our economy, the United States will

need more oil and natural gas, while also requiring additional

alternative energy sources; and

WHEREAS, The United States currently depends on foreign

imports for more than half of our petroleum usage; and

WHEREAS, The United States is the largest consumer of

petroleum in the world, and our dependence on foreign oil has

created difficult geopolitical relationships with damaging

consequences for our national security; and

WHEREAS, A recent study by the United States Department of

Energy found that increasing importation of oil from Canada has

the potential to substantially reduce our country's dependency

on sources outside of North America; and

WHEREAS, Canadian oil reserves are vast and are second only

to Saudi Arabia's, using current measurements and technology;

and

WHEREAS, Canada is a friendly neighbor with whom the United

States has an excellent political rapport and a trading

relationship that is the largest in the world. Just as Canada

sends more than 99% of its oil exports to the United States,

United States companies are among the largest suppliers of goods

and services to the Canadian oil sector. Increasing Canadian oil

imports provides greater fuel supply reliability and reduces the

risk of supply disruptions to consumers; and

WHEREAS, Supporting the continued shift toward reliable and

secure sources of Canadian oil is of vital interest to the

United States and to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; therefore

be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

urge the Congress of the United States to support continued and

increased importation of Canadian oil; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Senate urge Congress to ask the United

States Secretary of State to approve the TransCanada Keystone

Pipeline Project that has been awaiting a Presidential Permit

since 2008 to reduce dependence on foreign oil; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to

transmit a copy of this Resolution to the President of the

United States and to the each member of Congress from

Pennsylvania.